US2381558A - Plastic atomizer - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 1945.

G. B. ROBINSON PLASTIC ATOMIZER Filed July 15, 1945 INVENTOR GERARD BI ROBINSON C ,k u

ATTORNEYS lizer or atomizer. v

Patented Aug.'7,1945

4 if V. Ito bin son, Gilead,0hio

I Applicaticn July-H,1943 ;Serial'NoA94fl66 H fs olaim's; (oi zearf-ssl fsis v This nv ntia relates to ne'bulizersYor'atomizers for ;producing adryvapor that is used for medication of the respir'atory organs I,

object of the inventionl i sto provide a nebulizer or atomizer that has an internalchamber constructed and arranged .inla' manner that the heavy drops of: vapor will be deflected from he is har e ni fi h bu e that ch mb -,7, v 'Q Another object of. the invention is to provide I ali nebulizer thatis constructed of plastic materials; and is; more particularly constructed [in fcqoperating' left and righthan d 'halve's that :can

besecured together to produce a'compl'etenebu Another object of, the Jinventienis to provide Ta nebulizer constructed from plastiematerialthat is'l constructedan d arranged in. a mannerjthatthe atomizing headmay be testeda'sa complete assembly beforegplacing the same in the vnebulizer.

I IAnother object 1o"f rthe invention is to provide a nebulizer "constructed from plastic,; material that "may be producedby the injection molding process and wherein the atomizing head as, well as the body o f the nebulizer'are constructed-in cooperating left' and rightr hand halves to permit formation of thevlarioussmall fluid'passagesre l'quired: 'in'theQnebulizer when the cooper'ating halves are brought intoth eir assembledtrelatiene "Anot her of the invention afnew and improved form of atomizing head fl Another objectofthefinventionis to -provide a me thod of manufacturing a nebulizeror atomany o'i rtheforegoing objectsr.

i'z erconst ructed and arranged in accordance with i Further-objects and advantages;will become 1 apparent from thedrawing and the following I taken. along line j2+-2 of Figureirl showing" the contour of'the' chamber of the nebulizerq g Figuref3 is atransverse cross sectional' view ,takenalong line: 3 i-3 loi Figure-1 showingthe contour of the chamber at the l'evelof the section line. l.

. Figure 4*is a transversefcross sectional view of the r chamber "showing the contour thereof at vthe level of the'section line.- 1

taken'along'line' 55 of Figure 1 showing 'th'e cross section of the atomizin'g "head as well as theflsha pe of-the chamber at this" level.

Figure '6'is. a transverse'cross' sectional view taken along line 6-'-6 of'Figure l. I

' Figure? is a vertical'crosssectional view r the lower portion of the nebulizer showing a modified form of an atomizing nozzle. 7 a V "'Fi gure8 is a front elevational view-of the atomizihgnozzle illustrated iriFig'ure 7.;

' Figure 9 is a cross sectional view showing a 1 front modified formoi atomizing nozzle; p 'i *Figixrejll) is a horizontal cross sectionalview takenalong line lu f-ll] of Figure 8 H 2' In this invention the nebulizer or atomizer ponsists oi abody l'llithat lis'j constructed in two partsllfand lfthatare, similar in' all respects ini that" :they are 7 left and right half portions lofflthe ll oclyp The body. parts, ll and lZ are provided with identicaland cooperating recesse 13 and f lt respectively, that areladapted; to be brought togethern'o n the parting line l5 whereby. a chamber I6 is formed within the body Ill." [Additional recesses VI! and I8 and vprovided in the vbody'parts l and'lZ, respectively, so that vwhen a'sso'ciated together at the parting line l5 theywill, io rm a passage 19 for conducting-airto within the chamber lfithrou'gh an atomizing head 2.0 that is positioned Within the body ID. V i

. The' atomizing head 20 consists of -;.two body parts 2|" and 22,. eachotwhich has a vU-shaped 'recess 23 and 24, respectively, whichwhen brought ';into association at the parting line 25 of the vatomizing head '20 i forms a U-shaped channel or passage 26. One end. offthe channel 26 is connected to the passage IS in the body 10 to ;rec'eive inlet air while the opposite endof the channel 26 forms a discharge orifice 21' whereby 'theair'isdirectedupwardly through the cham- "ber lfi -in-the 'body l0; .Additional recesses 28 andRZQMare provided ingthe body p-arts zl and 220: the at'omizin'g head 20 to form a L-s haped opposite end 3| positioned overthe center recesses 32 and 33 providedin the body parts 3: FigureSis a transverse cross se'ctional view 55 of 1the'disc'harge opening 2'! of the air passage It so that the air jet discharging from'the open- 'ing 27' 'over the end 3|J of the passage will air 'wfiui'd through the passage'30 for discharging ma -same into the 'chamberflfi, I Y

The atomizing head 20 is positioned within @[ll hgl [2' nearthe lower portion thereof, as illustratedin Figure 1.

The upper end of the chamber 16 communicates with a discharge opening 34 that is posi tioned within a nose piece 35 through which the vapor will discharge from the chamber IS.

The air inlet passage I9 is provided with a fitting 36 that is positioned in a tapered hole 31 provided in the body In, the fitting 36 providing means for connecting a rubber tube 38 to the body ID, the tube 38 having a bulb 39 on the free end thereof.

The body I!) of curved wall portion 40 that is disposed vertically above the discharge opening 21 of the inlet air passage so that the jet of air discharging upwardly, and carrying fluid from the passage 30,

will impinge upon the surface of the curved wall 40. The wall portion 4| of the chamber 16 is provided with an arcuately shaped head portion p V 1o the atomizer is provided with a l chamber I6 is not of extreme importance because this portion of the chamber acts as a reservoir for the fluid that is to be atomized. However, the contour of the cross section of the chamber l6 reduces in its cross section from the cross section line 44 to the cross section line 33, shown in Figure 1, until the chamber assumes the shape, as illustrated in Figure 3, from the larger and more elongated contour, illustrated in Figure 4. Thus, the chamber is somewhat restricted at the levelof the section line 33 so that the atomized fluid will be forced into engagement with the wall surface 40 of the chamber Hi. It will be noted that the restriction in the cross sectional area of the chamber l6 atthe level of the section line 33 hasv been occasioned by the outwardly bulg- 42 that also tends to collect the heavy droplets,

of atomized fluid. It will be noted that the outlet 34 is disposed on one sideof the body 10, and particularly on; the side of the body that is. out of the direct path of the atomized fluid that is being directed upwardly by the air jet from the discharge opening 21 of the inlet air passage. Thus, only dry vapor will escape through the nose piece 35. I

The atorhizing head consisting of the parts 2| and 22 will be assembled by cementing-or otherwise securing the two cooperating-left and right hand halves of the atomizing head together along their parting line 25 thereby forming the passages 26 and 30. i This: atomizing head may now be tested as a unit to determine if its operation is satisfactory before assembling the same into a nebulizer body. The atomizing head 20 may. then be placed in one of the recesses 32 or 33 of the body parts I I and I2 andsecured therein by suitable means such as a liquid cement. The cooperating body part may then be assembled upon the body part containing the atomizing head 20 and the two parts be cemented together along the parting line I5, or secured together by any other suitable means.

I Since the body parts I l and and the parts 2| and 22 of the atomizing head 20 are constructed in cooperating left and. right hand halves, it is apparent that the manufacture of the device will be relatively inexpensive as well as relatively easy. Since all of the recesses in the various parts are provided in one face of the respective parts, that they are particularly adapted to be produced by a molding process; and if the dies are accurate and well-made the various passages in the parts will properly align. The:

molding of the parts may be accomplished either by compression molding or by the injection molding process. Preferably, the parts ll, I2, 2| and 22 are made from a synthetic. resinous material that is adapted to be compression or injection molded. 'I'he plastic parts may be held together by means of suitable cements for causing adherence between plastic materials; Also, the member 36 is adapted to be molded "by the compression or injection molding process so that the entire nebulizer or atomizer can be produced-at a relatively low cost by the compression or injection molding processes.

The chamber Iii-is provided with a particular cross section which varies throughout the length of the chamber in the manner illustrated in Figures 2 to 6, inclusive. In Figures 4 to 6 there is shown the contour of the chamber 16 between the levels of the section lines positioned on Figure l. The particular shape of this portion of the l2 of the acme.

ing wall surface 40 which is positioned vertically abovelthe' discharge opening 21 of the inlet air passage l9.

Since the air jet leaving the discharge opening 21 Willpick up or aspirate fluid from the passage it will be forced to impingeagainst the wall portion since it is moving in a vertically upward direction, the jet will thus be deflected in a leftward direction, as viewed in Figure 1, somewhat, as illustrated by the dotted lines B. When the atomizedfluid impinges against the wall portion 40, the heavy droplets of fluid will condense on this surface and drain by gravity along the and thusicause condensation, of the heavy drop lets.

The atomizedliquid that reaches the chamber 16 between the section lines 33 and 2,-2 on Figure 1, or that portion illustrated by the letter B, will, consist only of the finer droplets of liquid together with what may be termed as dry vapor.

It will be noted that the cross sectional area of the chamber, l6 increases toward the upper portion of the'chamber as illustrated in Figure 2, so that the velocity of the atomized liquid will be reduced in the enlarged chamber so that the heavier of the fine drops of atomized fluid may collect along thewall portion 4| and in the dome 421 of the chamber I6, it being remembered that the atomized liquid was directed against these wall portions by the wall portion 40. This arrangement thereby provides a second surface upon whichijanyof the droplets of atomized fluid can condense and drain back into the reservoir along the wall portion 4|. Thus, only dry vapor will be discharged through the nose piece 35 to be inhaled into the respiratory organs wherebythere will be substantially no condensation in the nose of a person inhaling the dry vapors so that the vapors can pass deeply into the respiratory organs. It is, of course, understood that in order to operate the atomizer that the bulb 39 will be squeezed intermittently to force air through the inlet passage 19. It is also understood that in place of the bulb 39'that the device may be connected to a suitable source of compressed air so as to throw a more or less continuous vapor through the nose piece 35.

In Figures 7, 8 and 10 there is illustrated a modified form of atomizing head for use in the nebulizer or atomizer of this invention. The atomizing head 45 in this instance may be constructed in two parts along a parting line 46 in the same manner as "heretofore described, the parting line being arranged so as'to'permit the j dv ine i ntei v a In l igureigithereisiillustratedfa further modii fand 'arefinterconnectedbymeansof groove 52 t dinsasr lthai o the y 49- .T e. air "twig/25 31%99153, w fi'fl f wll W ioveir', llustrated' in Figure'l.

way

passage v 26ablows the li H ato'mfize' the same and, at

from the grooves to I j the same; time causes an increase in, the aternent'oi theijtlu'id throu'ghfthe grooves 501 and! I or vaporizing the'sarnje.

- 'f entity liquid thatjis drawn, through I ama befcontrolledf jby the "I 19 oiirs, i iid st q' is such that the 8 wherein the a ngularly disposed 'ch ahnel s 5' 6 that his charge 'into a transversfi fqplflirtheair supply for the device being through the'inlet' passage 58.

While the apparatus disclosed and described herein constitutes a preferred form of "the invention, yet it is to be understood that the device is capable of mechanical alteration without departin'g fromthe spirit of the invention, and that all such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims are intended to be included herein. a Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: I

.1. Aniatomizer or nebulizer consisting of, a

body having an elongated chamber therein that is substantially elliptical in transverse cross section, an atomizing head disposed in'the lower portion of said chamber for directing fluid longitudL nally through said chamber, said chamber having I the wall portion thereof at one'end of the elliptical a shape thereof ,extendingtoward the center of the, chamber andhavingja deflecting surface thereon positioned directly in the path, of movement of the atomized liquid passing longitudinally through I said chambertwhereby to cause condensation of heavy droplets of atomized liquid thereon, and a discharge opening for atomized vaporto discharge from "said chamber positioned above said wall portionandon the same side of saidelliptical chamber as said wall portion.

2.An a'tomizer or nebulizer including in combinatiori; an atomizing head consisting of a pair of body parts having co-operating and engaging" face portions, a channel recess in each of said engaging face 'portions'forming one half of an air inlet channel, and a second channel recess in each of said face-portionshaving one end thereof 'disv posed immediately adjacent one end of said first channel recess and forming one half of a fluid passage, said co-op'erating parts having said face portionsthereof securedtogether to form complete channel portions in the atomizing head; and

an atomizer body-l consisting of co-operating body parts each of which includes a recess portion'ior forming 'onej hal f'ofan atomizing chamber and lon'e'half'ofah outlet passage associated therewith, 5 jaflsecond recess ineach of said atomizer body parts "adl'aeent the thereof opposite to the discharge end and formingmeans for receiving said atomiz- 'in'g head, 'whe'reby co-operation of said body parts an atomizing chamber therein and retains lo's'aid'atomizingihead' in position within said 1, i 5 j ,i 3. fAn'atomizer or 'nebulizer which consists of; a plastic atomizing head, an air inlet passage in sa'id headi a fluid passage in said head having one "16end thereofdisposedin alignment with the dischargeend cjfs'aid air inlet'passage and arranged "i riplanaralignment' with said air inlet passage wherebysaid head can be made in two co-foperatihgbartsdivid'ed along a plane extending longi- '20 tudinallyf'through the centers of said passages,

a plastic'bo'd'y; a'chamber in said body for receiving atomized liquid, a discharge passage from said chamber having an axis thereof in planar [alignment with azplane extending longitudinally z dithroughthe center of said chamber, a recess in saidbfody to receive saidjatomizing head and havingja'plane through the longitudinal center thereof i planar alignment with said plane through i th enter of said chamber whereby said body can ote made in two 'cO o'peratiIig, parts and secured together on laf plane of'parting which coincides with the plane. of parting through said atomizing *IieadQY F s v 4."A"n atom zer" or, nebulizer consisting of, a

filo body having *anelongated atomizing chamber therein, an atomizinghead positioned in the lower portion of said chamber for directing fluid longi- T'tudinally through said chamber, wall means in said chamber extending transversely thereof to- I 40 Ward the center of said chamber and having a deflecting surface thereon positioned directly in the path of movement of the atomized liquid passing longitudinally through said chamber to deflect the atomized liquid against an opposite wall of said chamber whereby to provide a plurality of surfaces engaged during the longitudinal movement of the atomized liquid through said chamber for condensing heavy droplets of atomized liquid, and a discharge opening for atomized vapor to discharge from said chamber positioned above said extending wall portion and on the same side of said chamber as said extending wallportion to thereby receive only dry vapor.

5. An atomizer or nebulizer consisting of, a

body having an elongated chamber therein that is substantially elliptical in transverse cross section, an atomizing head positioned in the lower i portion of saidchamber for directing fluid longi -tudinall through said chamber, said chamber having the wall portion thereof at one end of the elliptical shape thereof extending toward the center of the chamber and having adeflecting surface thereon positioned directly in the path of movement of the atomized liquid passing longitudinally through said chamber to deflect the atomized liquid against the opposite end wall portion of the elliptically shaped chamber whereby to cause condensation of heavy droplets of atomized liquid on thesurface of the Wall portions, 0 and a discharge opening for atomized vapor to discharge from said chamber positioned above said extending Wall portion and on the same side of said elliptically shaped chamber as said extend ing wall portion to therebyreceive only dry vapor 7.6 nthe upper portion of said chamber.

6. An atomizer or nebulizer consisting of,v a body having an elongated chamber therein, an atomizing head postioned in the lower portion of said chamberfor directing fluid longitudinally through said chamber, said chamber having wall means extending transversely toward the center of said chamber toreduce the cross-sectional area of the chamber and having a deflecting surface thereon engaged by the atomized liquid passing longitudinally through said chamber. for deflecting the path of movement of the atomizedvliquid during its longitudinal forward movement through the chamber tocause ,the same toengage the.

discharge opening from said chamber positioned at one end of said chamber and to one side thereof relative to a longitudinal central axis through the chamber whereby to provide arsubstantial top wall portion that has an unbroken surface joined to an immediate sidewall portion of thechamber,

said chamberhaving a side wall portion extending transversely toward the center of said chamber and positioned directly beneath said discharge I opening and having a deflecting surface thereon for causing deflection of. atomized liquid passing longitudinally through said chamber, and an atomizin'g head positioned in the opposite end of saidchamber for directing a stream of atomized liquid against said deflecting surface for deflection against said top, and co-extensive side wall of said chamber to thereby condense heavy droplets of atomized liquid.

8. An atomizer or nebulizer consisting of, a body having an elongated chamber therein, a

discharge opening for atomizedvapor to discharge from said chamber positioned-in one end thereof and onone side of said chamber relative to a longitudinal axis-through the same,saidchamber having. a wall portion, extending transversely toward the center of the chamber and positioned directly beneath said discharge openingand having a deflecting surface thereon for deflecting atomized liquid toward the opposite wallof said chamber, and an atomizing head positioned adjacent the opposite end of saidchamber for diresting atomized liquid against said deflecting surface and including a body member, a passage in said body inclined angularlyiinwardly toward the center of said ,body of such small size that liquid moves upwardly through the passage by capillary attraction, a horizontal passage in the upper edge of said body communicating with said first mentioned passage and an air inlet passage in said body and having the discharge end thereof positioned to dischargeair through said lastmentionedpassage whereby liquid in this last- .mentioned passage is discharged therefrom by the passage of air therethrough. a

"GERARD? B. ROBINSON.

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